


For Justice and Freedom

by sherlockssexysocks



Series: You're-Havin-Our-Baby [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Babies, Cute, F/M, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Puppies, Sexy Times, flavoured condoms, healing penis, hopefully, sex is good, teeny bitta angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-27
Updated: 2014-10-27
Packaged: 2018-02-22 20:54:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2521439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sherlockssexysocks/pseuds/sherlockssexysocks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky used to leave at night and Steve never heard him. Even if they were naked and spooning and had drifted into the sweetest of dreams, Steve could <em>never</em> pinpoint the moment Bucky decided to get up. The man had <em>stealth</em> and it was fucking terrifying how quiet he could actually be. Steve would only notice the lack of a warm body beside him; that is what would wake him, not any sound that Bucky may have made. </p><p>It was something Bucky prided himself on; his ability to disappear and reappear seamlessly and silently.</p><p>That all changed however, when Justice and Freedom arrived.</p><p> </p><p>Or:</p><p>The one where Bucky thinks puppies are gonna cure his baby blues and Natasha surprises everyone</p>
            </blockquote>





	For Justice and Freedom

**Author's Note:**

> This is the sequel to Finders Keepers.
> 
> You dont have to read that one first, really, i suppose, but sure you might give it a look anyway?
> 
> As usual, comments and kudos are appreciated and welcomed.

Bucky used to leave at night and Steve never heard him. Even if they were naked and spooning and had drifted into the sweetest of dreams, Steve could _never_ pinpoint the moment Bucky decided to get up. The man had _stealth_ and it was fucking terrifying how quiet he could actually be. Steve would only notice the lack of a warm body beside him; that is what would wake him, not any sound that Bucky may have made. 

It was something Bucky prided himself on; his ability to disappear and reappear seamlessly and silently.

That all changed however, when Justice and Freedom arrived.

 _Now_ , when Bucky tries to slip off in the dead of night and decides to bring his trusty sidekicks along for the ride, Steve is woken up by the sound of their excited barking and yapping. Bucky will then proceed to shush them in a half-hearted effort to maintain some stealth and Steve will wake up cackling, making sure that Bucky knows that he’s awake.

(And if that usually results in Bucky charging into their bedroom and _making_ Steve shut up, well, Steve certainly isn’t complaining.)

 

*

 

“You know, I thought _Bucky_ was supposed to be in charge of walking the kids?” Sam pants as they hurtle after Justice who has suddenly taken it upon herself to steal some couples Frisbee.

Steve makes an impatient huffing sound and shakes his head.

“Bucky never walks them and if they don’t get a walk in then we’re up all night with- _Jesus, Freedom, no!_ ” He yelps, grabbing Freedom back the back of his collar to stop him from chasing after his sister.

Sam pulls a pained expression and slows down to a stop, shaking his head and doubling over, his chest heaving as he tries to catch his breath.

“Gimme Freedom, man, and you can get Justice.” He gasps, holding out one shaking hand for Freedom’s leash.

Steve hands the golden Labrador over and races full pelt after the other one. Justice ignores all of his calls and when Steve finally catches up with her, he _swears_ she winks at him over her shoulder before coming to a sudden halt. This unforeseen stop results in Steve jumping over the pup in an effort not to hurt her and landing face-first in the bush beside them. Sam’s breathless laughter is deafening and Steve contemplates hiding in the bush for the rest of his life. He sits up slowly and fixes Justice with a stern look.

“Bad dog.” He chides as he hooks the leash back around her collar.

Justice obediently drops the Frisbee in her mouth to the pavement and wags her tail at Steve playfully, sitting and watching him patiently. Steve rolls out of the bush and picks up her lead. He wraps it around his wrists three times for good measure and tugs on it gently.

“Come on.” He grumbles, leading her back to where Sam was doubled over and still laughing.

 

*

 

When they return to Steve and Bucky’s apartment, they find Bucky and Natasha curled around the laptop, the two of them whispering to each other in Russian. Natasha was working her fingers through Bucky’s hair and speaking softly, whereas Bucky was frowning and glaring at the screen petulantly. Sam clears his throat loudly, indicating their arrival. Neither of them bothers to look up from whatever they were doing, Natasha simply raising her eyebrow and shaking her head.

“We could hear you coming for the past three minutes. You haven’t walked in on anything you shouldn’t have.” She says in a bored tone.

Sam doesn’t look convinced but he throws himself into the armchair closest to the door regardless, an exhausted look on his face. He detaches Freedom’s leash and lets the pup barrel its way across the room and leap onto the sofa beside Bucky. Seeing this, Justice starts to throw herself at them, almost snapping Steve’s wrist as she does so. 

“ _Down_ , Justice!” Steve orders just as Bucky starts cooing “C’mere, girl!”

Both Justice and Steve make a very similar frustrated sound and when Steve detaches her leash, she goes flying into Bucky’s arms, knocking the laptop to the floor with a loud clatter. Natasha quickly separates herself from Bucky as Freedom turns to try and lick her face too. She pulls a face and goes to sit on the arm of Sam’s chair. The pups settle on either side of Bucky and he pets them both happily, a broad smile on his face.

“Thank _God_ Clint has never asked for a dog.” Natasha shudders.

Steve makes a non-committal grunt and goes to take a seat next to Bucky, much to Freedom’s delight. He quickly grasps at the opportunity to climb onto his lap and burrow himself into the crook of Steve’s arm. Bucky flashes him a grin and wriggles closer himself, pressing himself against Steve’s side. Steve extends one arm and wraps around his friend’s shoulder, pressing a soft kiss to the top of his head. 

“Look at you two, all domesticated.” Sam comments with a cheeky grin. “Who would have thought this time last year that the Winter Soldier would be curled up your sofa with an armful of puppy?”

Steve says nothing but he feels the way Bucky stiffens by his side.

(And Steve doesn’t know how many times he has told Sam that Bucky is _not_ the Winter Soldier and the Winter Soldier is _not_ Bucky. They are two separate people; at least, that’s what Bucky’s therapist keeps telling him.)

Natasha must notice the tension in Bucky’s body because she elbows Sam into the chest in an unforgiving manner. Sam begins to splutter and clutches his chest dramatically, a devastated look on his face as his eyes fill with tears. 

“ _Fucking_ hell, Romonoff, was there any need?” he demands breathlessly.

“What?” She asks innocently. “It’s a knee-jerk reaction to when people are being idiots.”

Bucky laughs softly at this and he relaxes by his side, his cheek resting on Steve’s shoulder. The pups are calm for once and Steve sits back in the sofa to let his eyes close when his gaze falls on the laptop by his feet. 

“’Spence-Chapin Adoption Services’?” Steve reads aloud, a frown furrowing his brow. 

Bucky freezes momentarily by his side before trying to kick the lid of the laptop closed. He misses and Steve darts forward to grab the screen, disrupting Freedom’s peaceful snooze. The pup makes a grumbling sound before wriggling out of his lap and onto the arm of the chair. Bucky shoulders Steve sideways and slams the laptop shut before he has a chance to reach it. There is a light flush on his cheeks and a wild look in his eyes. He looks guilty, cornered even. In his peripheral, Steve can see Natasha standing slowly with Sam flanking her.

“Steve, I was just-” Bucky starts but Steve raises a hand to silence him.

“The fact that you couldn’t even discuss this with me proves that you are not ready for a child.” Steve says softly before getting to his feet and stalking out of the room.

(And yes, okay, he supposes that he’s been hanging out Sam too much because his flair for the dramatics has definitely increased _tenfold_.)

 

*

 

Bucky doesn’t come to bed that night and Steve doesn’t hear him leave. Steve is worried and more than a little bit guilty so he calls Sam.

“ _You do realize that you are the main reason that I don’t get enough sleep at night?_ ”

Sam sounds sleepy and annoyed but Steve can’t bring himself to care.

“Bucky never came to bed and when I went out to bring him to bed, there was no sign of him.”

There’s a slow, deep inhale of breath followed by a sigh.

“ _Well…I mean, you guys had an argument, man. He probably needs some time to clear his head._ ”

“You think maybe I was too hard on him?”

Sam lets out a short, puff of laughter.

“ _Steve, he tried to adopt a child without telling you. I think you could have gotten a lot angrier than you did._ ”

Steve hums.

“Nat won’t answer any of my texts.”

“ _Nat is a vindictive bitch and Bucky’s VBFF. She probably knows where he is and isn’t saying anything out of loyalty. If she didn’t know where he was, you can bet that pretty motorbike of yours that she would be answering her phone and right by your side looking for him._ ”

Steve says nothing, Sam’s words doing nothing to calm his anxious mind.

“ _Steve, he’s fine. You guys had a fight and now he’s clearing his head, probably deciding how he’s gonna say sorry. Relax, man._ ”

Steve leans against the kitchen counter and nods even though he knows Sam can’t see him.

“You’re right.” He finally mumbles.

“ _Damn right. Now, will you please go to bed so I can get some sleep?_ ”

 

*

 

Steve wakes to the sound of his phone vibrating at half three in the morning. He winces against the harsh light of the screen and opens a message from Clint.

Buck with us, sound asleep with his arm wrapped around my gf.  
Said something bout u not wanting kids, I told him u guys shud open an orphanage  
He said he’s gonna think about it.  
U can thank me when u c me.  
Luv u.

 

*

 

Steve wakes at half five to the sound of the front door opening. He knows it’s Bucky and he knows that he wants him to hear him, so he sits up in their bed and waits. Their bedroom door opens and a box of flavoured condoms flies through the air. They hit Steve square in the chest and when he blinks down at the offending item, Bucky slips inside, a solemn expression on his face.

“You said you liked them.” He says by way of explanation.

Steve nods silently and watches as Bucky strips out of his jeans and t-shirt, their eyes locked, each of them waiting for the other to look away. Neither of them do, however, and when Bucky is naked, he crawls across the bed, stopping mere inches away from Steve.

“I’m sorry?” he offers, sucking in on his bottom lip shyly.

Steve doesn’t know what to say.

(Mainly because Bucky is naked and there is a box of condoms in his hands but he _knows_ that this is a ploy Natasha has taught him, a way of distracting him.)

Bucky half-smirks and climbs closer, his eyes sparkling mischievously. 

“You can see right through this, can’t you?” he huffs, his breath warm against Steve’s cheek.

Steve nods slowly.

“Yep.”

Bucky makes a soft snorting sound and presses a wet, open-mouthed kiss to the corner of Steve’s mouth.

“I should have asked you.” He whispered. “But I know you think we’re not ready and that you’re scared and that children are the very _last_ thing on your mind but-”

“We’re _not_ ready, Buck. You haven’t even been cleared to work in the field again yet.” Steve interrupts softly, one hand trailing the length of the slighter man’s muscular chest.

Bucky places a kiss on his lips, hot and hungry. Their lips move against one another for a few moments before he pulls back and looks at Steve intently.

“I’ll get there, Steve. It hasn’t even been a year yet and-”

“And you’ve taken it upon yourself to start some kind of crusade where you save all of the unloved and unwanted creatures in this world because they remind you of yourself.” Steve says a little too sharply. 

(And he’s _definitely_ picked that look up from Natasha.)

Because something flashes behind Bucky’s eyes and Steve immediately knows that he’s pushed too hard. He pulls away from Steve almost instantly and climbs beneath the covers, a tight look on his face. Steve sighs and leans back against the pillows, suddenly feeling drained and exhausted. 

“Buck? I’m sorry, Buck, I shouldn’t have said that, I should have kept my mouth-”

“Ever enter that thick skull of yours that maybe I just want to have a family with you? Huh, jerk-off?” Bucky hisses into the dark. “Did you ever think that there might be a possibility that I’m lonely? All of my friends are _your_ friends, every event we go to is a Captain America one, every person that stops to speak to us is only doing so because I’m with _you_. I just want something of my own, Stevie.”

The words hit Steve harder than series of bullets fired at point-blank range. He feels paralyzed and when he turns his head to glance at his partner, he can see that Bucky is curled up as small as he possibly can under the blankets. 

“I’m yours, Buck.” 

“No, you’re not. You’re Captain fucking America. You’re like, a national treasure and if America needs you, I have to step aside and pretend that it doesn’t _terrify_ me every single time you go off to save the world.” He whispers fiercely. 

Steve doesn’t know what to say and so he rolls over Bucky and straddles him, forcing the smaller man to lie out beneath him. Bucky’s mouth is tight and sad and Steve leans down to kiss it away. It takes more time than usual for Bucky to relax beneath him but when he does; he deepens the kiss into something a lot more heated. They stay like that for a while until Steve feels Bucky’s cock hardening between them. He breaks the kiss and Bucky is staring up at him, breathing slow and shallow, pupils dilated and Steve slides his hands between them and guides it past Bucky’s cock, into that secret place behind his balls. He slips one finger between his cheeks and simply rubs soft, soothing circles around the hole with the pad on his index. 

“I keep thinking I’m going to lose you.” Bucky says, and his voice is quiet, tentative, almost as if he is expecting Steve to agree, as crazy as that sounds.

“I’m never gonna leave you, Buck.” Steve promises softly and Bucky swallows, eyes shining with something Steve can’t place. 

(It hurts, sometimes, when he realises he can’t read Bucky as well as he used to.)

Bucky reaches to the chest of drawers beside them and reaches for the lube. He tosses it to Steve and waits, a hungry look on his face when Steve opens the tube and begins to slick up his left hand. Reaching down, he slowly and deliberately strokes his index finger along the cleft of Bucky’s ass. Bucky lets out a shallow, shaky breath and pushes down, silently willing Steve to hurry up. He makes a deep, low sound when Steve pushes two fingers inside at once. It’s one more than Steve would usually try at this stage but he wants Bucky to feel it, he _wants_ him to know that he belongs to him. Steve pushes his fingers in and out, slowly at first, his eyes never leaving Bucky’s. Bucky is panting now, his cock fully erect and heavy against his stomach. 

“Get a condom.” Steve orders just as his fingers brush against the nub of Bucky’s prostate.

Bucky groans loudly, his entire body shuddering as Steve presses his fingers against it again but he does as he’s told. He fumbles for the box of condoms beside them and takes one out, ripping the packaging open with his teeth and putting it on himself in one fluid movement. 

“Strawberry.” He says with a cheeky grin and Steve rolls his eyes.

Bucky knows he _loves_ strawberries. Steve withdraws his fingers and Bucky’s smile fades until Steve drizzles more lube on his fingers and inserts a third. The sound that Bucky makes is barely human when Steve begins to fuck him in earnest, moving his fingers in and out quickly, hitting his prostate every time. 

“ _Jesus, Steve_.” Bucky whines when Steve leans forward and takes his cock in his mouth.

It doesn’t take long, it never does, for Bucky to start groaning and digging his heels into the mattress, his hands rubbing and pulling at Steve’s hair frantically, letting him know that he’s going to come. Steve doesn’t ease off in the slightest, however, taking Bucky deeper and deeper into his mouth until he lets out a short, sharp cry and finishes, his entire body going limp.

Steve pulls back and withdraws his fingers once again. He slides up Bucky’s boneless body and presses his lips against Bucky’s sweetly.

“Mmm…strawberry.” Bucky breathes as Steve breaks the kiss.

Bucky slides one hand down Steve’s bare chest to his tented boxers and wraps his hand around Steve’s own throbbing member. Steve puts his hand over Bucky’s and helps him jerk him off. It doesn’t take long for Steve to finish and when he does, he wipes his slick, sticky hand against Bucky’s chest childishly. Bucky pulls a face and laughs as Steve collapses beside him on the bed, a contented look on his face.

“I love you, Bucky.” He says seriously.

Bucky swipes his tongue along his bottom lip and nods.

“I know. I love you, too.”

 

*

 

“Never let it be said that I am a selfish asshole.” Tony declares one afternoon, standing in Steve and Bucky’s living room with two matching dog baskets under his arms. “You can call me a dickhead or that disgusting Russian word that Natasha keeps using but selfish? Never.”

Steve just shakes his head as Bucky races forwards and snaps the baskets out of his arms, a broad, excited smile on his face as he beckons Justice and Freedom to follow him. The pups do so loyally and patter away after him eagerly. Tony grins like a proud uncle and throws himself onto the sofa beside Clint. Natasha is in the kitchen making some sort of Russian stew that Bucky has been craving whilst Sam sits beside Thor and demonstrates how the remote works.

(Jane had been begging him to help for _weeks_ but Steve had been too embarrassed to admit that it was Bucky who finally coaxed him away from using the + and – buttons when it came to choosing a channel.)

Bruce was beside him, reading over one of Bucky’s adoption applications. It had taken Steve a good few hours pleading to make Bucky agree to it and now he was playing with Justice and Freedom as distraction and way of avoiding eye-contact with Bruce.

“It’s his defence mechanism.” Steve sighs as he watches him race out of the room with the puppies in tow.

“It’s better than the knives.” Tony says with a shudder. “Remember those? Remember when we couldn’t eat any kind of food that involved cutting for fear that something would trigger him?”

Clint smiles wistfully and nods.

“Yeah. Remember the time he hurled one at Fury ‘cause he misheard the word ‘hydro’?” he chuckles.

Sam laughs out loud at this and nods in agreement.

“Remember when we couldn’t _use_ the word ‘hydro’?”

Bruce rolls his eyes and hands Steve back the application, a small smile on his face.

“He really wants a child.” He comments.

Steve nods.

“Yeah.” He says softly.

Bruce makes a gentle sighing sound and shakes his head.

“Can we…?” he asks, pointing towards the hallway where Bucky was sitting in Justice's basket, a pensive look on his face.

Steve nods and the two of them leave the living room and step outside into the hallway. Bucky stands when he notices them coming and Steve can see the way he schools his features into ones of complete neutrality. Bruce closes the living room door behind them and turns to face Bucky with an apprehensive look on his face.

“Can…can I speak frankly?” he asks, his head bowed slightly, a stressed look on his face.

Bucky shrugs one shoulder.

“You say whatever you’ve gotta say, Doc.”

(Bucky slips his hand into Steve’s and Steve knows Bucky _knows_.)

Bruce clears his throat and gives Bucky a small, tight smile.

“You really want a child and you express that clearly in the application, James. But…but I don’t think you realize how much psychological assessment you would have to go under in order to be declared eligible. You’ve suffered a great trauma in the past year and you’re not…you’re still nowhere near better. Realistically, I don’t think many agencies would take you on. Steve’s job is too unpredictable and dangerous for a child and you-”

“And I’m too fucked up.” Bucky finishes softly with a forced smile. “That’s okay; I get it.”

Bruce looks like he wants to say more but decides against it. Instead, he bows his head, pats Steve on the shoulder and steps back into the living room. When Steve looks at Bucky next the man’s eyes are squeezed shut and his metal fist is clenched by his side. They say nothing for the longest time and when the tension finally ebbs away out of Bucky’s body, the man looks exhausted.

“Guess you’re just gonna have to try and get me pregnant, Stevie.” He jokes humourlessly, his hand still wrapped around Steve’s.

“Or you can focus on getting better and we can try again in a few months.” He urges softly.

Bucky gives him a tortured look and shakes his head.

“Nah. You know this is never going to happen. Ain’t no agency in the world that’d give the Winter Soldier a baby.”

“You’re not the Winter Soldier.” Steve corrects him.

Bucky shoots him that same sad look and laughs darkly.

“Who are we kiddin’, Steve? We both know I am.”

 

*

 

It’s Tony who approaches him later on that evening and tells him that he can help.

“I’m influential; people love me. I can get any adoption agency in the country to give you a baby.” He promises confidently.

Steve says nothing, just watches the way Bucky eyes Tony with disinterest. He doesn’t believe him; that much is blatantly obvious. 

(He doesn’t want to hope and that makes Steve heart ache in his chest.)

Sam obviously overhears their conversation and sidles over, a broad smile on his face.

“You want a reference, Barnes? ‘Cause I would rec the hell outta you. I’d make people _cry_ with my inspirational reference letter. I’m gonna paint you as the ultimate war hero.” He swears.

Bucky raises his eyebrows.

“I’m an assassin, not a war hero.”

“You’re an _ex_ -assassin and the best person I know.” Natasha calls out from the kitchen.

Clint appears in the doorway and gives Bucky a wink.

“If the baby thing doesn’t work out, I know a few homeless men looking for somewhere to stay? You could turn this place into a shelter.” 

(The cogs of Bucky’s brain are visibly turning and Steve has to bite down on his tongue to stop himself from shouting ‘ _No!_.)

Clint laughs at Steve’s face when Bucky turns and gives him a hopeful look. Natasha appears by his side, a thoughtful expression on her face. Clint slings an arm around her shoulders and drops a kiss into her fiery hair, still snorting. Bucky wriggles closer to Steve and gives him a small smile.

“We could just go and steal Sarah back?” he half-jokes.

Steve fixes him with a look whilst Thor nods in agreement.

“Aye. Do the other Midgardians not obey the law of ‘finders keepers’?” he queries.

Tony snickers as Bruce opens his mouth to explain that it’s not really a _law_ when Natasha cuts across him.

“I’ll give you a baby.” She decides.

Bruce closes his mouth shut with an audible click. Bucky freezes beside Steve and stares at Natasha with wide eyes. Clint drops his arm from around her shoulder and turns to give Steve a horrified look, one that Steve is certain he is mirroring perfectly.

“ _What?_ ” Bucky breathes.

Natasha gives him a warm smile and nods.

“I’ll give you a baby. I’ll be your surrogate, if you want one?”

The sound of unbroken joy that Bucky makes clutches at Steve’s heart. He leaps into the air and races across the living room, picking her up and wrapping her in his arms. He laughs, long and loud and infectious. Steve feels himself smiling despite himself and he glances at Sam who starts chuckling and shrugging his shoulders. Clint is still staring at Natasha with an open mouth and when Bucky puts her down, he places a wet, open-mouthed kiss on the corner of his mouth, ruffling his hair before running back to Steve and throwing himself onto the sofa, his eyes sparkling beautifully as he presses warm kisses all across his face. Freedom and Justice come skidding into the room, their paws unable to find purchase on the wooden floor. They start yipping excitedly when they see Bucky throw his head back and whoop.

"Stevie! Steve, we're havin' a baby, punk!"

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!


End file.
